TCCTA Blog

Join Us in San Antonio!

Make plans now to attend and participate in the TCCTA Fall Conference for Faculty Leaders, to be held Oct. 7-8, at the historic Menger Hotel in San Antonio. 

The conference focuses on issues related to the role of faculty in the college decision-making process— including legal issues, the legislature, student success, and programs that relate immediately to your classroom! Designed especially for faculty organization leaders, this event is open to anyone interested in the leadership role faculty play in Texas two-year colleges.

You will note that this year's program includes presentations and interactive discussions involving two issues that are increasingly important to community college educators: dual credit and guided pathways. 

Here is a link for details and registration information. More program specifics will be added to this site as they become available. 

Join us!

New Article and Call for Submissions

A new short article, “Developing a ‘Visual Rhetoric’ for Students on the Spectrum,” by Jack Trammel, has been posted to the Texas Developmental Education Professional Community Online (TX DEPCO) blog:

http://depco.wp.txstate.edu/  

You can also find on the TX DEPCO blog the following recently featured arcticles:

·   “Centering Disability Support in the Learning Center” by Jack Trammell

·   “Beyond Pro and Con: Re-thinking MOOCs” by William J. Barry

 

Call for Submissions

An extension of The Texas Success Initiative (TSI) Professional Development (PD) Program (funded by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and managed by The Education Institute at Texas State University), the TX DEPCO is excited to receive submissions of short articles highlighting promising practices pertinent to college readiness. Articles must be 300-500 words and relate to the field of developmental education, adult education, or college readiness.

Please visit the TX DEPCO Call for Submissions page for details, or refer to the guidelines below.

The Texas Developmental Education Professional Community Online is excited to receive submissions of short articles highlighting promising practices pertinent to college readiness. Articles must be 300-500 words and relate to the field of developmental education, adult education, or college readiness.

Authors must specify in the article the area of specialty, type of content, and promising practice(s).

Areas of specialty include, but are not limited to, the following:

·   Literacy

·   Numeracy

·   Learning support

·   Learning centers

·   Advising

·   Diversity

·   Administration

·   Policy

·   Professional development.

Promising practices include, but are not limited to, the following:

·   Affective development

·   Beneficial knowledge (e.g. useful in future credit classes or jobs)

·   Critical thinking skills

·   Cognitive self-awareness

·   Supportive learning environment

·   Variety of instructional methods

·   Active learning techniques

·   Learning strategies

·   Integrating technology

Types of content include, but are not limited to, the following:

·   Classroom practices

·   Activities

·   Assignments

·   Infographs

·   Sample syllabi

In addition, we welcome submissions that have been adapted from a previously published article by the author as long as it adheres to the above guidelines and the author notes the original publication, which we will acknowledge upon reprint.

Please include at least 1-3 research- or evidence-based citations according to APA Style, 6th Ed.

Please submit articles and inquiries to [email protected]. Make sure the subject line indicates TX DEPCO.

Round-Up Compiles Reading List

The Great Teaching Round-Up, sponsored by TCCTA each May, recently completed its 2016 event. Among the tasks performed by the group was assembling a list of recommended books—including titles that don't necessarily relate directly to education. 

Other TCCTA programs have also followed this tradition. As noted here often, it is amazing to witness the variety of books that community college teachers recommend. Undoubtedly some future enumeration will include "Fifty Shades of Grey" and "The Iliad."

Here is the 2016 Round-Up list. Enjoy!

“The Science Fiction Stories of Jack London” - Jack London
“The Illustrated Man” - Ray Bradbury
“War & Peace” - Leo Tolstoy
“1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus” - Charles Mann
“Vincent” - Leonard Nimoy
“If the Devil Had a Wife” - Frank Mills
“Fool for Love” - Sam Shepard
“The Shape of Things” - Neil LaBute
“Leaving Iowa” - Tim Clue & Spike Manton
“Doubt” - Patrick Shanley
“ A Short History of Nearly Everything” - Bill Bryson
“My Stroke of Insight” - Jill Bolte Taylor
“Working” - Studs Terkel
“Foundation Trilogy” - Robert Heinlein
“The Autobiography of Benvenuto Cellini” - Benvenuto Cellini
”Lincoln Unmasked” - Thomas DiLorenzo
“Fear & Trembling” - Søren Kierkegaard
“The Skillful Teacher: On Technique, Trust, and Responsiveness” - Stephen Brookfield
“Stoner” - John Williams
“The Poisonwood Bible” - Barbara Kingsolver

 

Join Us for "Leading from the Middle"

If you are taking off for a while after finals, please sign up for the next TCCTA event for professional development, "Leading from the Middle," scheduled for July 17-19, at the Marriott Town Square Hotel, in Sugar Land. 

The site is located in the heart of the vibrant new Sugar Land Town Square, surrounded by fabulous dining and delightful shopping venues all within walking distance. Call today, 281-275-8400 and mention TCCTA to secure the Leading from the Middle room rate of $120.

The conference is designed for mid-level administrators at Texas two-year colleges. It is a kind of "boot camp" for deans, division chairs, IT directors, student services directors, and others, as we provide key information and insights to help you succeed in your respective positions. We address legal issues, educational technology, legislative and budget orientation, leadership skills, ethics, and other areas that directly affect professional performance.

Here is a link for program details and registration information.  Join us!

Group Publishes and Calls for Articles

A new short article, “Centering Disability Support in the Learning Center,” by College Reading and Learning Association (CRLA) president-elect Jack Trammell, has been posted to the Texas Developmental Education Professional Community Online (TX DEPCO) blog:

http://depco.wp.txstate.edu/

In addition, “Beyond Pro and Con: Re-thinking MOOCs,” by William J. Barry, is also featured on the TX DEPCO blog.

An extension of The Texas Success Initiative (TSI) Professional Development (PD) Program (funded by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and managed by The Education Institute at Texas State University), the TX DEPCO is excited to receive submissions of short articles highlighting promising practices pertinent to college readiness.

Articles must be 300-500 words and relate to the field of developmental education, adult education, or college readiness.

Please visit the TX DEPCO Call for Submissions page for details.

Learning Communities Consortium Slates Meeting

The message below is from the Texas Learning Communities Consortium. 

Registration is now open and lodging information available for the 2016 Texas Learning Communities Consortium (TXLCC) Meeting, 4/1-4/2/2016 on the campus of Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi.

Visit txlcc.net to register for the meeting ($50/person and includes lunch on 4/1 & 4/2) and for lodging information. The deadline for registration is 11:59 PM, 3/28/2016. Book your rooms soon because there are several events going on in Corpus Christi that weekend.

Our keynote speaker is Greg Hinckley of Seattle Central College. A tentative program is available at txlcc.net 

Sign up for the TXLCC e-mail list at http://eepurl.com/bMt0xL to receive the latest information and updates about the TXLCC.

FMI, contact the TXLCC at [email protected] or call us at 361-825-2150.

Regards,

TXLCC 2016 Host Committee

Plan Now for TCCTA Events

Before you leave for Spring Break, please make plans to participate in several upcoming TCCTA events.

Here is the general events page, which will be updated with details as each conference date approaches. 

Note the deadlines, in particular with the Dual Credit Workshops. Please share this information with all who may be interested, including high school faculty members.  

PICK YOUR DATES:
April 17-20, 2016 or
April 20-23, 2016
Marriott Town Square
16090 City Walk
Sugar Land, Texas

Scholarship Application
(Deadline March 15th)

Two programs specifically for Dual Credit faculty both at the high schools and those faculty and program coordinators at the college. Supported by the Educate Texas Fund of Communities Foundation of Texas, this program is created by the participants themselves. Like the Great Teaching Round-Up, the staff’s major role is facilitation. The goals of the seminar include: Sharing methods and techniques, celebrating good teaching, creative, realistic problem solving, exploration of new ideas, serious introspection, self-appraisal, and professional and personal renewal.

Each TCCTA event is unique, tailoring its program to various components of the diverse community and technical college community. 

Join us!

Coordinating Board Sponsors Opportunities

Please see the message below from the Texas Success Initiative for opportunities to submit brief articles and for professional development opportunities. 

An extension of The Texas Success Initiative Professional Development Center (funded by Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board), the Texas Developmental Education Professional Community Online (TX DEPCO) is excited to receive submissions of short articles highlighting promising practices pertinent to college readiness. Articles must be approximately 300-500 words, include 1-3 research- or evidence-based citations, and relate to the field of developmental education, adult education, or college readiness. Follow the link for specific guidelines.

http://depco.wp.txstate.edu/call-for-submissions/

Also, please note the following professional development (PD) opportunities:

Online PD Modules

Integrating Goal Setting into the DE Classroom

Instructionally Appropriate Technology Integration

PD Events

Contextualization Summit: Finding Common Ground (Alamo CC District; 2/19/16)

Contextualization Summit: Finding Common Ground (Austin CC; 4/30/16)

These free PD opportunities require registration. Please feel free to share this email with your colleagues and/or program staff at your location as well as with other college campuses and adult education programs in your region.

If you have any questions about these PD opportunities, please contact Ysabel Ramirez at [email protected]. 

Thank you.

Dr. Emily Miller Payne, Grant PI and Ms. Ysabel Ramirez, MA, Grant Director

Texas Success Initiative Professional Development Program
The Education Institute
Texas State University
San Marcos, TX
(512) 245-9046 or (512) 245-8308

 

Lab Safety Workshop Slated

The following is an announcement from Janice Yoder Smith, dean of the mathematics and sciences division at Tarrant County College Northwest Campus.

Tarrant County College Northwest Campus will host a 2-Day Lab Safety Workshop provided by the Lab Safety Institute (LSI) on March 29-30, 2016. The workshop provides excellent training regarding how to prevent common laboratory accidents and how to respond to the accidents that may occur.   Those participating in the workshop receive a binder filled with useful information, a complimentary one year membership to the Lab Safety Institute and an heightened awareness of how to maintain lab safety.

We hope that you will join us March 29-30. 

Details regarding registration for the event are provided at this link. http://www.labsafetyinstitute.org/TwoDay.html   

Janice Yoder Smith, Ph.D.

Divisional Dean|Mathematics and Sciences

Tarrant County College Northwest Campus|Office: WTLO 4106

4801 Marine Creek Parkway|Fort Worth, TX 76179-3599

817-515-7730 voice|817-515-0527 fax

[email protected] |www.tccd.edu

Coordinating Board Offers Programs

The following is a message from Ysabel Ramirez, grant director of the Texas Success Initiative Professional Development Program, which is funded by the Coordinating Board. It concerns three opportunities for professional development. Contact information is provided at the conclusion of the message.  

The Texas Success Initiative (TSI) Professional Development (PD) Program (funded by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board) is proud to announce the first in a series of online professional development opportunities. The module, Instructionally Appropriate Technology Integration, includes a video, resources, handouts as well as implementation and reflection activities to be completed for acquiring/earning professional development hours. There is no cost for this training; however, registration is required if the participant wants a certificate for professional development credit hours. The link to the registration site and activity sheet can be accessed by clicking on the module title above.

In addition, our program is also currently recruiting individuals for Training of Trainers on Integrating Technology into the Developmental Education Classroom. Applicants will be trained as trainers for integrating technology in the developmental education classroom. Travel costs will be covered by TSI-PD; however, you must apply to be considered for participation. Contact Ysabel Ramirez at [email protected] for more information or to receive application information.

Finally, TSI-PD is collaborating with McLennan Community College to provide a day of training on Contextualization. The Contextualization Summit: Finding Common Ground event is being held on Saturday, January 30, 2016 in Waco, TX. There is no registration cost for attending this event; however, registration is required. Please click here for the flyer and agenda and/or to register for the event.

Please feel free to share this email with your colleagues and staff. If you have any questions on any of these professional development opportunities, please contact Ysabel Ramirez at [email protected].  Thank you.

Dr. Emily Miller Payne, Grant PI and Ms. Ysabel Ramirez, MA, Grant Director

Texas Success Initiative Professional Development Program

The Education Institute

Texas State University

San Marcos, TX

(512) 245-7715 or (512) 245-8308